Saturday, September 10, 2016

“The oldest and strongest emotion of
mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the
unknown.” – HP Lovecraft

As a slew of fights take place tonight in Cleveland at UFC
203, a bigger fight is taking place: CM Punk versus the world.

Many have criticized Punk (real name Philip Brooks) before
he’s even stepped foot in the cage. A lot of it has to do with his lack of
experience. But Punk isn’t lacking in fights. His record may be 0-0, but he’s
had many opponents since his untimely
exit from WWE over two years ago:

-MMA fighters

-MMA fans

-MMA purists.

-Wrestlers

-Wrestling fans/pundits.

-Multiple injuries, the biggest being one that required back
surgery

HP Lovecraft’s quote speaks volumes, and encapsulates the
disdain some have for what can be seen as an experiment of sorts. We fear what
we do not know. If the oldest and strongest emotion is fear, then jealousy can’t
be far behind.

Fighters could be jealous he’s “cutting the line” and
getting a shot they think he doesn’t deserve.

They could also be jealous he’s
training at a premiere fighting camp. They could be jealous he’s lined up for
an incredible pay day.

Wrestlers may be jealous Punk told a billionaire to
essentially kick rocks.

And whether some people in general may like to admit it or
not, they’re jealous of Punk’s freedom to blaze his own path in life.

Yet this opportunity is not unearned. The “voice of the
voiceless” sacrificed his life to make his wrestling dreams come true. With
that came his immense popularity, success and wealth. Those things have
afforded him a chance to delve into various projects such as writing comics, take
time off to be with family, and a chance to train with elite MMA coaches and
fighters.

But it’s not likely that any of the jealousy and contempt
bothers Punk. He’s always walked to the beat of his own drum (as evidenced by
his leaving WWE at the height of his wrestling popularity), and isn’t the type
to conform to anyone else’s expectations of what should or shouldn’t be
possible.

Remind you of anyone?

Brock Lesnar did the same in 2004 following Wrestlemania 20
to chase his dream of being an NFL player. He was 27 years old. While the NFL
didn’t work out, Lesnar would enter the MMA world.

Like Brock Lesnar in 2008, Punk’s mere debut
will light the MMA world on fire for at least one night.

Unlike 2008 Lesnar, Punk has no amateur wrestling background
or MMA experience prior to his first UFC fight.

Unlike 2008 Lesnar, Punk isn’t built like The Hulk.

Unlike 2008 Lesnar, Punk doesn’t have jaw-dropping
athleticism.

Unlike 2008 Lesnar, Punk had to cut around thirty pounds to make weight.

And what may be the most notable difference, unlike 2008
Lesnar- Punk isn’t 31. He’s 37. He’s put a lot of miles on his body, literally
and figuratively by traveling the independent wrestling scene and for WWE. His “bump
card” (a term used to describe the amount of punishment wrestlers take during
the course of their career) has plenty of punches on it. But after dietary
changes and training with Duke Roufus, Punk has put himself in the best
possible position to prove his naysayers wrong.

Punk said one advantage he has is that by having no
experience, there’s no bad habits Roufus had to correct. But with that comes
the fact Punk lacks the experience. Gall may be a young fighter with only three
professional fights, but before that comes amateur fights as well and the
simple fact he has devoted his life to MMA longer than Punk has. This is no
knock on the former WWE star but only the circumstances he and Gall find themselves
in.

One interesting part about UFC’s recent mini documentary on
Punk’s journey is Gall’s training camp casually joking about how to prepare for
the Chicago made fighter. In a scene, they show how to defend against a choke-slam
and a sharpshooter.

Was this to build fake tension, or is Gall really thinking
Punk and the entire lead-up to this is a joke?For a fighter who begged
repeatedly to face Punk, he can’t afford to take any part of it lightly. If you
want to be a realist, Gall should win tonight’s bout convincingly. Punk’s
desire is certainly there, but can that carry over into the fight itself?

A possibility for fans of Brooks is that he could legitimately
be unconscious or be submitted by Gall. For a former wrestler who’s finishing
move was called the “GTS” (Go to Sleep), that would be quite a jarring visual.
But win or lose, tonight’s fight is about a man who’s taking a chance and
betting on himself, something that some of us might never do.